Haymaking machine

ABSTRACT

A haymaking machine has rake members that are driven to rotate about respective upwardly extending shafts. Each member has horizontally extending tine carriers, the outer ends of which have holders with tines and a swash plate is mounted on the respective shaft of each member. A rotatable ring on the plate is connected to each carrier via a corresponding universal pivoted lever that turns the tines to a downward crop engaging position when in their foremost positions to raised crop disengaging positions in their rearmost positions, considering the direction of machine travel. Each carrier is a hollow beam and the beams of each member cross one another adjacent the shaft that defines the axis of rotation of the rake member.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the samemay be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way ofexample, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a haymaking machine in accordance with theinvention connected to the rear of an agricultural tractor,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the haymaking machine of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, showing the constructionand arrangement of parts at the center of one of two rotary rake membersof the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2 in greater detail,

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line IV--IV in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an elevation as seen in the direction indicated by an arrow Vin FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, as seen in thedirection indicated by an arrow VI in FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line VII--VII in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is an elevation, to an enlarged scale and partly in section, asseen in the direction indicated by arrows VIII--VIII in FIG. 1,

FIG. 9 is a front elevation illustrating an alternative embodiment ofcertain parts to that which is illustrated in FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a section taken on the line VII--VII in FIG. 6 butillustrates the construction of an alternative form of haymaking machinein accordance with the invention,

FIG. 11 is a section taken on the line XI--XI in FIG. 10, and

FIG. 12 is again a section taken on the line VII--VII in FIG. 6 butillustrates the construction of a third form of haymaking machine inaccordance with the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, thehaymaking machine that is illustrated therein comprises two rotary rakemembers or rake heads 1 and 2 which will hereinafter be referred to onlyas "rake members" for the sake of brevity. The two rake members 1 and 2are arranged in side-by-side relationship in a direction that istransverse, and usually substantially perpendicular, to the intendeddirection of operative travel of the machine that is indicated in FIGS.1, 6, 7 and 12 of the drawings by an arrow A. The two rake members 1 and2 are arranged to revolve about corresponding upwardly extending axesthat are parallel to one another, said rake members 1 and 2 beingindirectly connected, when the machine is in use, to a three-pointlifting device or hitch at the rear of an agricultural tractor 4 orother operating vehicle by a coupling member or trestle 3 and by otherparts of the machine that will be described below. The coupling memberor trestle 3 includes an upper plate 5 and a lower plate 6, said plates5 and 6 being in parallel but spaced apart relationship with the generalplane of each plate perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to theparallel axes of rotation of the two rake members 1 and 2, The upperplate 5 registers with the lower plate 6 as seen in the plan view ofFIG. 1 of the drawings and both plates have the same substantiallyright-angled triangular shape that is visible in FIG. 1 in respect ofthe upper plate 5, the two plates 5 and 6 being substantially identical,or closely similar, in dimensions.

The two corners of the upper and lower plates 5 and 6 that are foremostwith respect to the direction A are interconnected by upwardly extendingcoupling strips 7 which perform a supporting function, said strips 7being inclined forwardly with respect to the direction A, and steeplydownwardly, from the upper plate 5 to the lower plate 6 (see FIG. 2).The strips 7 extend downwardly beyond the lower plate 6 and theirlowermoste ends carry coupling pins 8 that are substantiallyhorizontally aligned in a direction that is substantially perpendicular,or at least transverse, to the direction A. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, the coupling pins 8 serve to connect the foot of thecoupling member or trestle 3 pivotally to the free ends of the lowerlifting links of the three-point lifting device or hitch carried by theagricultural tractor 4 or other operating vehicle. Two lugs 9 that havesubstantially inverse quadrilateral configurations when seen in sideelevation (FIG. 2) are secured to the top surface of the upper plate 5and it will be noted that a leading edge of each lug 9, with respect tothe direction A, is inclined upwardly and forwardly relative to the samedirection from the leading edge of said plate 5. The upper extremitiesof the two lugs 9 are perpendicularly interconnected by a substantiallyhorizontal coupling shaft 10 that is arranged to cooperate pivotallywith the rearmost end of the upper, adjustable length, lifting link ofthe aforementioned three-point lifting device or hitch, said rearmostend being arranged, as illustrated, turnably around the coupling shaft10 at a location between the two lugs 9. A vertical plane of substantialsymmetry of the tractor 4 or other operating vehicle that extendsparallel to the direction A contains the longitudinal axis of the upperlifting link of its three-point lifting device or hitch and the two lugs9 are spaced by short distances from opposite sides of this imaginaryplane. The two coupling strips 7 are spaced from opposite sides of saidimaginary plane by considerably greater distances but are neverthelesssymmetrically disposed with respect thereto. Upper portions of the twolugs 9 both extend parallel to the imaginary vertical plane ofsubstantial symmetry of the tractor 4 or other operating vehicle thathas just been mentioned but the lower ends of said portions are bentover laterally in symmetrically opposite directions to form portionswhose lower edges are secured to the top surface of the upper plate 5,this disposition effectively stiffening said plate 5. The lowermost edgeof one of the lugs 9 extends towards the rearmost corner 11 of thesubstantially right-angled triangular upper plate 5 (see FIG. 1).

The rearmost corner 11 of the upper plate 5 and the corresponding cornerof the lower plate 6 are rigidly interconnected by an upwardly extendingand usually substantially vertical shaft 12A around which a sleeve 12 isfreely turnable between the overlying upper plate 5 and the underlyinglower plate 6, said shaft 12A providing a rigid interconnection of thetwo plates 5 and 6 near their rearmost corners as do the coupling strips7 at the two leading corners of both the two plates 5 and 6. Thelongitudinal axis of the shaft 12A is in parallel relationship with theaxes of rotation of the two rake members 1 and 2. A further shaft 13Arigidly interconnects the upper and lower plates 5 and 6 at a locationclose to those leading corners of said two plates which are not ofright-angle configuration, said shaft 13A being in parallel relationshipwith the shaft 12A and the axes of rotation of the two rake members 1and 2. A sleeve 13 is turnable around the further shaft 13A between theoverlying upper plate 5 and underlying lower plate 6 and serves apurpose which will hereinafter be described.

Rotary mountings for hubs of the two rake members 1 and 2 are rigidlyinterconnected by two hollow frame beams 14 and 15, said beams 14 and 15being in forwardly convergent relationship, with respect to thedirection A, from the rearmost ends thereof that adjoin said rotarymountings. In the example which is being described, the longitudinalaxes of the two substantially, although not exactly, horizontallydisposed beams 14 and 15 are inclined at an angle of 90°, orsubstantially 90°, to one another. It is emphasized, however, that anangle having a magnitude of other than substantially 90° may be enclosedbetween the longitudinal axes of the two beams 14 and 15. The point ofintersection of the longitudinal axes of the two beams 14 and 15 is inadvance, with respect to the direction A, of an imaginary lineinterconnecting the axes of rotation of the two rake members 1 and 2 anda substantially, but not exactly, horizontal plane that contains thelongitudinal axes of the two beams 14 and 15 is perpendicular to theaxes of rotation of both of said rake members 1 and 2. The two hollowframe beams 14 and 15 have equal lengths and, therefore, an imaginarytriangle (as seen in FIG. 1) whose sides comprise the longitudinal axesof said two beams 14 and 15 and said line (not shown) that interconnectsthe axes of rotation of the two rake members 1 and 2 is an isoscelestriangle whose apex angle has a magnitude of 90° or substantially 90°.The leading ends, with respect to the direction A, of the two framebeams 14 and 15 are rigidly interconnected by a gear box 16 most ofwhich is sandwiched between the overlying upper plate 5 and theunderlying lower plate 6, said gear box 16 having a rotary input shaft17 that projects obliquely forwardly, with respect to the direction A,at the front of the gear box 16 with its longitudinal axis substantiallycoincident with the longitudinal axis of the hollow frame beam 14. Theobliquely forwardly projecting end of the rotary input shaft 17 issplined or otherwise keyed to enable it to be placed in drivenconnection with a rear power take-off shaft of the tractor 4 or otheroperating vehicle by way of an intermediate telescopic transmissionshaft, that is of a construction which is known per se, having universaljoints at its opposite ends. The telescopic transmission shaft which hasjust been mentioned is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings.Bevel pinions within the gear box 16 place the rotary input shaft 17thereof in driving connection with two output shafts, whose thelongitudinal axes of which are coincident, or substantially coincident,with the longitudinal axes of the two hollow frame beams 14 and 15. Thetwo output shafts are coupled to driving shafts 18 and 19 respectivelywhich driving shafts 18 and 19 extend axially through the interiors ofthe hollow frame beams 14 and 15. Alternatively, the output shafts ofthe gear box 16 may be unitary with the respective driving shafts 18 and19. The ends of the driving shafts 18 and 19 that are remote from thegear box 16 carry bevel pinions which are located inside the rotarymountings for the hubs of the respective rake members 1 and 2. Each ofsaid bevel pinions has its teeth in driving mesh with those of a largercrown wheel or bevel pinion 22 (for the rake member 1) or 23 (for therake member 2). The crown wheel or bevel pinion 22 is rotatable aroundan upwardly extending shaft 20 that embodies the axis of rotation of therake member 1 and, similarly, the crown wheel or bevel pinion 23 isrotatable around an upwardly extending shaft 21 that embodies the axisof rotation of the rake member 2.

Each of the two rake members 1 and 2 comprises four groups 82 that eachexhibit two tines 83 and 84 that will be described in greater detailbelow. The tine groups 82 are arranged so as to be controllable inposition by corresponding steering or control mechanisms that areassociated with the respective rake members 1 and 2. The constructionand operation of the two control steering or mechnisms is substantiallyidentical and it is therefore only necessary to describe theconstruction and operation of the steering or control mechanism for oneof said two rake members in detail.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be seenthat the crown wheel or bevel pinion 23 that corresponds to the rakemember 2 is fastened to a sleeve 24 in surrounding relationship withthat sleeve. The longitudinal axis of the sleeve 24 is coincident withthat of the corresponding shaft 21 and said sleeve, together with thecrown wheel or bevel pinion 23, is rotatable around the shaft 21 due tothe provision of axially spaced apart upper and lower ball bearings 25and 26. The upper bearing 25 is restrained against axial displacementalong the shaft 21 by the lower end of a sleeve 27 which closelysurrounds said shaft and which is secured thereto by a pin 28 passedtransversely through the shafts 21 and surrounding sleeve 27 close tothe uppermost ends of both of them. A hood 29 is welded or otherwiserigidly secured to the external surface of the sleeve 27, said hood 29having a cylindrical outer surface which protectively surrounds thecrown wheel or bevel pinion 23 down to a level immediately above that ofthe bottom of said crown wheel or bevel pinion. The lowermost edge ofthe hood 29 has an outwardly projecting rim. The crown wheel or bevelpinion 23 is bolted to four underlying arms 30 and 35, there being twoof the arms 30 that project in opposite directions and two of the arms35 which also project in opposite directions that are perpendicular tothose of the arms 30. However, it will be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4 of thedrawings that none of the four arms 30 and 35 is arranged with itslongitudinal axis in radial relationship with the longitudinal axis ofthe upwardly extending shaft 21.

It can be seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings that the rim at the foot of thehood 29 is spaced only a very short distance above the tops of the arms30 and 35, said spacing being the minimum necessary to ensure that therotary arms 30 and 35 do not foul the non-rotary hood 29 when themachine is in operation. The lower ball bearing 26 is retained againstaxial displacement along the shaft 21 by a ring 31 which surrounds saidshaft 21 and that is fastened thereto by a transverse pin 32. It will beseen from FIG. 3 of the drawings that both the arms 30 and the arms 35have quite short axial lengths, the outer free ends of the two opposedarms 30 being bent downwardly to have short substantially axiallyopposed sleeves 32A and 33, respectively, bolted to them. Thesubstantially common longitudinal axis of the two sleeves 32A and 33 isperpendicular to, but does not intersect, the longitudinal axis of theupwardly extending shaft 21. The two sleeves 32A and 33 accommodate, orcomprise, corresponding substantially horizontal bearings through whichare entered a single tine carrier 34 in the form of a tubular beam. Thetine carrier 34 extends throughout substantially the whole of theworking diameter of the corresponding rake member 2 and is ofuninterupted unitary construction throughout its length.

The other pair of opposed arms 35 are bent downwardly at their outerends to a lesser extent than are the arms 30 and it is preferred that,as illustrated, said arms 35 should be bent downwardly by a distancewhich is substantially equal to, or a little larger than, the externaldiameter of the tubular tine carrier 34. However, the outer and lowerends of the two arms 35 are similarly provided with aligned, orsubstantially aligned, sleeves 36 and 37 which sleeves are bolted tosaid arms. The sleeves 36 and 37 receive, or comprise, substantiallyaligned bearings in which a second tine carrier 38 is turnably mounted,said second tine carrier 38 being of substantially identicalconstruction to the tine carrier 34 and thus comprising a tubular beamwhich extends throughout substantially the whole working diameter of therake member 2 and which beam is of uninterrupted unitary constructionthroughout its axial length. As will be evident from FIGS. 3 and 4, inparticular, of the drawings, the longitudinal axis of a central portionof the second tine carrier 38 is at a higher level than that of thefirst mentioned tine carrier 34, said longitudinal axes beingperpendicular to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 21with none of said three axes intersecting either of the other two.However, despite this relationship, it can be seen from FIG. 4 that theouter curved surfaces of the shaft 21, first tine carrier 34 and secondtine carrier 38 are very close to one another, if not actually incontact, in the central region of the rake member 2 in which thelongitudinal axes of the same parts are most closely adjacent. Thisrelationship between the outer surfaces of the two tine carriers 34 and38 and the outer surface of the shaft 21 can also clearly be seen inFIG. 7 of the drawings. The arrangement is intended to ensure that, whenthe machine is in operation, movements of the tine carriers 34 and 38will not be prevented by each other nor by the shaft 21.

The relationship between the longitudinal axes of the shaft 21 and thecentral portions of the two tine carriers 34 and 38 that has beendescribed above relates only to those central portions and it will benoted from the drawings that, outwardly beyond the respective sleeves32A, 33, 36 and 37, the tubular beams that afford said carriers 34 and38 are bent over in the same direction by a few degrees relative to therespective central portions. The tine carriers 34 and 38 are turnable inthe bearings carried, or comprised by the sleeves 32A, 33, 36, and 37but in a position in which the longitudinal axis of the central portionof the carrier 34 extends substantially perpendicular to the directionA, the outer portions thereof are inclined upwardly away from thecentral portion whereas, in a corresponding position of the centralportion of the second carrier 38, its outer portions are inclineddownwardly away from the central portion. The arrangement is such that,whichever of the two carriers 34 or 38 occupies the position in whichits central portion is substantially perpendicular to the direction A,the tine groups 82 that are at the outer ends thereof will be atsubstantially the same height above the ground surface.

A transverse pin 40 secures a surrounding ring 39 to the shaft 21 atsubstantially the level of the bottom of the central portion of the tinecarrier 34 and the lower end of said ring 39 abuts against the top of amounting 41 of a surrounding circular swash plate 42, said swash plate42 being of a basically flat formation despite the fact that it has asignificant axial thicknes. The mounting 41 surrounds the shaft 21 and aring 47 forming part of the swash plate 42, in turn, surrounds themounting 41 and is rotatably positioned on said mounting by way of apair of adjoining ball bearings 46. The lowermost end of the mounting 41abuts against the upper end of a support 43 which surrounds the shaft 21and which is secured to that shaft by a further transverse pin 44. Lugsproject from one side of the mounting 41 carry a springloaded lockingpin 45 having a tip which can be entered in any chosen one of a curvedrow of holes (visible in broken lines in FIG. 3) that are equidistantfrom the longitudinal axis of the shaft 21. Said holes are formed in anupper plate 59 of the support 43 and it will be appreciated that theparticular hole which is chosen for co-operation with the locking pin 45determines the angular position of the swash plate mounting 41 about thelongitudinal axis of the shaft 21.

The ring 47 of the swash plate 42 is a basically flat closed circularring that is rotatably connected by the bearings 46 to the mounting 41.The ring 47 is freely rotatable around mounting 41 and its shape is suchthat the axis of free rotation of said ring 47 is inclined at an angleof substantially 60°, in the illustrated embodiment, to the longitudinalaxis of the shaft 21. It can be seen from FIG. 4 of the drawings thatthe central portion of the mounting 41 around which the ring 47 of theswash plate 42 rotates is of substantially circular cylindricalconfiguration and that, in the example which is being described, whenthe locking pin 45 is engaged in the central one of the curved row ofholes (FIG. 3) that are formed in the upper plate 59 of the support 43,the lowermost extremity of the ring 47 is contained in a substantiallyvertical plane that is perpendicular to the direction A and that alsocontains the longitudinal axis of the shaft 21, said lowermost extremitythen being located at that side of the shaft 21 which is remote from thecentral shaft 20 of the other rake member 1.

The ring 47 of the swash plate 42 is formed with two internallyscrewthreaded holes that both extend substantially radially with respectto the axis of free rotatability of said ring. Corresponding externallyscrewthreaded rods 48 are engaged in the screwthreaded holes and areprovided with lock nuts 49 to ensure that any chosen position ofextension of one of the rods 48 from the corresponding hole can bemaintained. Each hole forms a control part of the ring 47 for at leastone of the tine groups 82. The outer end of each externallyscrewthreaded rod 48 carries a ball 50 and said balls 50 co-operate withcorresponding blocks 51 and 52 (FIGS. 4 to 6) to form universal ball andsocket joints, the balls 50 being universally turnable in substantiallyspherical cavities that are formed inside said blocks 51 and 52. Theblocks 51 and 52 are adjustably connected by screwthreaded rods,screwthreaded bores and lock nuts to sleeves which turnably surroundcorresponding pivot bolts 53 and 54 that interconnect pairs of arms55/56 and 57/58, respectively, said arms being welded or otherwiserigidly secured to the central portions of the respective first andsecond tine carriers 34 and 38.

The location at which the screwthreaded rod 48 that is universallycoupled to the block 51 adjustably engages the ring 47 of the swashplate 42 is spaced apart by 90° around the axis of free rotation of thatring from the location at which the other rod 48 (universally connectedto the block 52) is adjustably connected to the ring. Thus, said twolocations are spaced apart one behind the other by 90° relative to theintended direction of operative rotation C (FIGS. 1, 3 and 7) of therake member 2 and relative to the intended direction of rotation B(FIG. 1) in the case of the symmetrically similar or identical rakemember 1. In addition to its upper plate 59, the support 43 comprises aparallel but downwardly spaced lower plate 60, the two plates 59 and 60being rigidly interconnected by a rim 61, the upper and lower edges ofwhich are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the correspondingplates 59 and 60. The plates 59 and 60 project forwardly with respect tothe direction A from the rim 61 and have a substantially horizontal axleshaft 62 welded or otherwise rigidly secured to their leading edges. Thelongitudinal axis of the axle shaft 62 extends transverse, and usuallysubstantially perpendicular, to the direction A and, as viewed in thatdirection from the rear of the machine, or in the opposite directionfrom the front of the machine (FIG. 8), the axle shaft 62 extends byequal distances to the opposite sides of the shaft 21. Actually, FIG. 8illustrates the rake member 1 which has the central upwardly extendingshaft 20 but it will be remembered that the rake member 1 issymmetrically identical, or similar, to the rake member 2 as are theparts that are associated therewith. Each half of the axle shaft 62carries two axially spaced apart ball bearings 63 and 64 andsubstantially vertical end plates 65 that are perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis of the shaft 62 are rotatably connected to the shaft62 by said bearings 63 and 64. The end plates 65 form parts of acylindrical roller 66 that affords one of two supporting members 67 ofthe machine. As can be seen in FIG. 8 of the drawings, each roller 66 isreleasably retained in rotary connection with the corresponding end ofthe shaft 62 by a bolt and incorporates shield members arranged toprevent external dirt from contaminating the ball bearings 63 and 64.Thus, each of the two rake members 1 and 2 has two of the supportingmembers 67 which are arranged symmetrically at opposite sides of asubstantially vertical plane that extends parallel to the direction Aand that contains the longitudinal axis of the corresponding shaft 20 or21. This is not, however, essential and each of the two rake members 1and 2 may be associated with only a single one of the supporting members67. When, as illustrated, the supporting members 67 are in the form ofthe cylindrical rollers 66, it is preferred that, with this latterarrangement, the two rollers 66 (in total) of the machine should belocated at those sides of the two imaginary substantially verticalplanes that extend in the direction A and that contain the longitudinalaxes of the corresponding shafts 20 and 21 which are remote from oneanother. The supporting members 67 could, as a further alternative, bein the form of ground wheels of known construction rotatably mounted ofthe axle shafts 62 and, with any of these possible arrangements, means(not shown) may be provided to displace the supporting members 67 bodilyaround the axes of the corresponding shafts 20 and 21, said meansincorporating parts arranged to maintain any chosen positions of suchadjustment. When the axes of rotation of the supporting members 67 arenot substantially perpendicular to the direction A, the central shaft 20or 21 of one of the two rake members 1 and 2 will be in advance of theother shaft with respect to the direction A.

Upper and lower plates 68 and 69 (FIGS. 3 and 6) project obliquelyrearwardly with respect to the direction A from a rearwardly facingportion of the cylindrically curved wall of the hood 29, said plates 68and 69 being of substantially the same size and being in registeringlyspaced relationship with one another in a direction parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the shaft 21. The upper and lower plates 68 and 69are rigidly interconnected at two spaced locations by pivot shafts 72and 73 that both extend parallel to the shaft 21, corresponding sleeves70 and 71 being arranged in a freely turnable manner around said shafts72 and 73 between the overlying plate 68 and the substantially identicalunderlying plate 69. As seen in plan view (FIGS. 1 and 3), an imaginaryline interconnecting the longitudinal axes of the two pivot shafts 72and 73 that correspond to the rake member 2 extends rearwardly from itspoint of intersection with a further imaginary straight lineinterconnecting the longitudinal axes of the two shafts 20 and 21, anangle of substantially 40° being enclosed between these imaginary linesat said point of intersection thereof. Two parallel rods 74 and 75 havetheir leading ends, with respect to the direction A, rigidly secured tothe sleeves 70 and 71 respectively so as to extend in perpendicularrelationship with those sleeves. The two rods 74 and 75 are of equallengths and their rearmost ends, with respect to the direction A arecoupled by corresponding pivot pins 77 and 78 to locations on a couplingbracket 76. The pivot pins 77 and 78 are in parallel relationship withthe pivot shafts 72 and 73 and are spaced apart from one another, on thecoupling bracket 76, by the same distance as are the pivot shafts 72 and73 on the upper and lower plates 68 and 69. A pivotable quadrilaterallinkage is thus formed which, in the example that is being described, isa parallelogram linkage which ensures that a plane containing thelongitudinal axes of the two pivot shafts 72 and 73 remains in parallelrelationship with a plane containing the longitudinal axes of the twopivot pins 77 and 78 despite angular displacement of the rods 74 and 75about the axes of said pivot shafts 72 and 73. It is emphasized thatwhile a parallelogram linkage is employed in the example that is beingdescribed, this is not essential and other pivotable quadrilaterallinkages that do not maintain parallelism can be used as alternatives.

The coupling bracket 76 is connected to the upright limb of asubstantially L-shaped swath board holder 79 (FIG. 2) in such a way asto be upwardly and downwardly displaceable relative to that limb withoutbeing angularly turnable with respect thereto. This co-operation can bebrought about by employing splines or at least one other keyway (notshown). The swath board holder 79 supports a swath board 80 that isafforded principally by a plurality of spring steel rods arranged toextend freely rearwardly with respect to the direction A from theupright limb of the holder 79 in parallel or substantially parallel, butspaced, relationship with each other. The lower substantially horizontallimb of the holder 79 is arranged to slide forwardly over the groundsurface during operative progress of the haymaking machine in thedirection A and the form of connection of the upright limb of the sameholder to the coupling bracket 76 that has been described above enablesthe whole holder 79, together with the swath board 80 which it carries,to move upwardly and downwardly with respect to the coupling bracket 76to match irregularities and undulations in the surface of the groundwhich it may meet during progress in the direction A. A second swathboard 80 is indirectly connected to the hood 29 associated with theother rake member 1 in a substantially symmetrically indentical mannerto that which has just been described for the swath board 80 thatcorresponds to the rake member 2. The angularity of the twoparallelogram linkages which comprise the corresponding rods 74,75 canbe fixed in chosen ones of corresponding attitudes to maintain therespective swath boards 80 in corresponding positions and, to this end,rods or strips 73A (FIG. 3) are turnably mounted on the correspondingpivot shafts 73, or their surrounding sleeves 71, and are provided atthe extremities therof which are remote from said shafts 73 with lockingpins 73B that can enter any chosen ones in rows of holes 73C that areformed through elongate strips 74A which are welded or otherwise rigidlysecured to the sides of the rods 74 that face the companion rods 75. Theparts 73A and 74A are omitted from FIG. 6 of the drawings for the sakeof simplicity.

The four open ends of the two tubular tine carriers 34 and 38 havecorresponding sheet metal tine holders 81 (FIG. 8) welded into them.Preferably, as illustrated, the tine holders 81 are inclined outwardlyand downwardly by a few degrees from the ends of the respective carriers34 and 38 and each of them advantageously, but not essentially,intersects a corresponding radial plane that contains the longitudinalaxis of the respective shaft 20 or 21. Each of the tine holders 81 hasone of the aforementioned tine groups 82 fastened to it, each tine group82 comprising, in this embodiment, the two similar tines 83 and 84.FIGS. 6 and 8 of the drawings illustrate the tines 83 and 84 in detailand it will be seen therefrom that each tine has a hay-engaging free endportion 85 of rectilinear configuration which is connected by a bend toa corresponding rectilinear support portion 86. The angle that isenclosed between each end portion 85 and the corresponding supportportion 86 at the junction there between has a magnitude ofsubstantially 120° (see FIG. 6). The extremity of each support portion86 which is remote from the corresponding end portion 85 is connected toone end of a helical coil 87 that comprises a plurality of complete 360°turns. Advantageously, as illustrated, the two tines 83 and 84 of eachgroup 82 are formed from a single length of spring steel or otherresilient rod material which thus comprises the two end portions 85, thetwo support portions 86 the two coils 87 and a single fastening portion88 which integrally interconnects the ends of the two coils 87 that areremote from the two support portions 86, said fastening portion 88 beingreleasably secured to the corresponding tine holder 81 by a clampingplate and a bolt or the like. It is advantageous to form the tineholders 81 from a resilient sheet metal having a thickness so that it istorsionally deformable during operation of the machine so that theholders 81, as well as the coils 87, contribute to the resilient supportof the end portions 85 of the tines 83 and 84 which actually engage thehay and which are therefore subject to friction, inertia forces and thelike that oppose displacement of the hay. The shape of each tine group82 is such that, when the corresponding tine carrier 34 or 38 has beenturned as far as is possible in one direction about the longitudinalaxis of its central portion during operation of the machine, the endportions 85 of the two tines of said group 82 will be in perpendicularor substantially perpendicular relationship with a substantiallyhorizontal plane approximately containing the ground surface. Underthese circumstances, the support portions 86 of the two tines concernedare inclined upwardly and forwardly from the end portions 85 to thecoils 87 with respect to the direction of rotation B or C of the rakemember 1 or 2 of which the tine group under discussion forms a part. Thecircumstances which have just been discussed exist for the single tinegroup 82 that is illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings. When the tinecarrier which supports the same tine group 82 has been turned about thelongitudinal axis of its central portion in the opposite direction asfar as is possible during the use of the machine, the tine end portions85 will be substantially horizontally disposed and the correspondingsupport portions 86 will be inclined downwardly and forwardly therefrom,with respect to the direction B or C, towards the respective coils 87.

The freely turnable sleeve 12 that can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawings has a substantially trapezoidal stiffening plate 89 fastened toit, the non-parallel edges of said plate 89 being welded to the hollowframe beams 14 and 15 close to the leading ends of those two beams thatare rigidly interconnected by the gear box 16. A rod 90 projectsperpendicularly from the sleeve 13 that is turnable about the shaft 13A,the end of said rod 90 that is remote from the sleeve 13 being providedwith a fork that is connectible by a substantially vertical locking pin(FIGS. 1, 2 and 6) to an apertured lug 91 or to an alternative aperturedlug 92 (FIG. 1). The lug 91 is fastened to the frame beam 15 close tothe end of that frame beam which is remote from the gear box 16 whereasthe lug 92 is secured to the frame beam 15 substantially midway alongthe length of the latter. The rod 90 is shown connected to the lug 91 inthe drawings and thus prevents the frame beams 14 and 15, together withthe rake members 1 and 2, from pivoting about the axis that is definedby the shaft 12A, the illustrated position being a working position ofthe implement. In order to couple the fork at the end of the rod 90 tothe lug 92 instead of to the lug 91, it is first necessary to disconnectsaid fork from the lug 91 and to turn the frame beams 14 and 15 and therake members 1 and 2 which they carry in an counterclockwise direction,as seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings, about the axis defined by the shaft12A until the fork at the end of the fixed length rod 90 will registerwith said lug 92. These circumstances define a different position of theframe beams 14 and 15 and the rake members 1 and 2 relative to thecoupling member or trestle 3 of the machine, said different positionbeing either a reduced width position that is suitable for theinoperative transport of the machine or a further working position.

FIG. 9 of the drawings illustrates one of the alternative arrangement ofthe rollers 66 that afford the supporting member 67 that has beenbriefly discussed above. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the lowermost endof each of the two shafts 20 and 21 has a corresponding axle shaft 62turnably connected to it with the aid of the upper plate 59 alone, thelower plate 60 being omitted. The axle shaft 62 projects laterally withrespect to the direction A to only one side of a plane that is parallelto said direction A and that contains the longitudinal axis of theassociated shaft 20 or 21, said side being the one that is remote from afurther imaginary substantially vertical plane that extends parallel tothe direction A midway between the two shafts 20 and 21. Thus, themachine is provided with a total of only two of the cylindrical rollers66, instead of a total of four thereof as illustrated in the embodimentof FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings, each of the two rollers 66 beingrotatably mounted on a corresponding axle shaft that is onlyapproximately half the length of each axle shaft 62 in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1 to 8.

FIGS. 10 to 11 of the drawings illustrate an alternative embodiment inwhich the two tine carriers 34 and 38 are not in perpendicularlycrossing relationship, as seen in plan view, very close to the shaft 21but in which, instead, the three mutually substantially perpendicularaxes all intersect at a single point. With this construction, each ofthe two tine carriers 34 and 38 is not of integral construction but isdivided into two separate portions, the neighboring ends of the twoportions being spaced apart from one another with the shaft 21intervening between them. In this embodiment, the arms 30 and 35 arebent downwardly through equal distances and the sleeves 32A, 33, 36 and37 which they carry are of heavier construction and considerablyaugmented in axial length as compared with the corresponding sleeves inthe embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8.

The block 51 is coupled by way of the pivot bolt 53 to two extensionarms 93 and 94, the ends of which are remote from the pivot bolt 53 andare fastened to project from corresponding cylindrical sleeves 95 and96. The internal surfaces of said sleeves 95 and 96 closely surround thematchingly curved outer surfaces of the inner ends of the two separateportions of the second tine carrier 38, the sleeves 95 and 96 and thetwo halves of the carrier 38 being relatively turnable about theircommon longitudinal axis. Two substantially symmetrically identicalbrackets 97 are rigidly connected to opposite sides of the block 52 andinclude bent portions that are turnably connected to respectiveextension arms 98 and 99 by substantially horizontally aligned butspaced apart pivots 54 (FIG. 10) which take the place of the pivot bolt54 in the first embodiment. The extension arms 98 and 99 are rigidlysecured to sleeves 101 and 100, respectively, said sleeves beingturnably mounted on the corresponding two portions of the first tinecarrier 34 in a similar manner to that which has already been describedfor the co-operation between the sleeves 95 and 96 and the two portionsof the second tine carrier 38.

A spring steel torsion rod 102 extends substantially axially through theinterior of each of the two separate portions of each of the two tinecarriers 34 and 38, said rods 102 being passed through holes formed inend walls of the respective sleeves 95, 96, 100 and 101. The rods 102are bent through 90° immediately beyond the holes in the end plates ofthe sleeves and the bent ends are firmly secured to the respectiveextension arms 98, 99 100 and 101 by bolts 103. The ends of thetorsional rods 102 that are remote from the bolts 103 are firmly securedby further bolts 104 (FIG. 11) to the sheet metal tine holders 81, saidholders 81 being welded into the outer ends of the tubular tine carriers34 and 38 as described above.

FIG. 12 of the drawings illustrates a further alternative embodiment inwhich, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, both the tine carrier 34and the tine carrier 38 are each divided into two portions that lie atopposite sides of the intervening and relatively perpendicular shaft 21.Since the two halves or portions of the carrier 34 are substantiallyuniplanar with the two halves or portions of the carrier 38, there is noneed for outer portions of said carriers to be bent relative to acentral portion as is desirable in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8. Thisconsideration applies equally to the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11. Onceagain, the common longitudinal axis of the two halves or portions of thetine carrier 34, the common longitudinal axis of the two halves orportions of second tine carrier 38 and the longitudinal axis of theshaft 21 are mutually substantially perpendicular and all intersect at asingle point, the halves or portions of the carriers 34 and 38 beingradially disposed with respect to the shaft 21 as in the embodiment ofFIGS. 10 and 11.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12 of the drawings, the ring 47 that formspart of the swash plate 42 is provided at four locations around itsouter surface with a corresponding number of screwthreaded rods 48 whicheach have one of the balls 50 at their outer ends. The four locationsare spaced apart from one another at regular 90° intervals around theaxis of free rotatability of the ring 47. As viewed in a directionlengthwise of the axis of the shaft 21 (FIG. 12), the longitudinal axisof each half or portion of each of the two tine carriers 34 and 38intersects a respective one of the four balls 50. However, inner endregions of the four tine carrier halves or portions are turnablyjournalled in corresponding bearings 105 and each such half or portionis provided, immediately alongside the bearing 105 concerned, with arigidly mounted obliquely projecting arm 106. The end of each arm 106that is remote from the corresponding tine carrier half or portion 34 or38 is provided with a pivotal shaft 107 that is in tangentialrelationship with an imaginary circle centered upon the axis of rotationof the shaft 21. In this embodiment, there are four, rather than two, ofthe blocks 51 and 52 and the upper ends of said blocks are turnablyconnected to the pivotal shafts 107 in the same manner as, in the firstembodiment, the two blocks 51 and 52 are turnable about the pivot bolts53 and 54. The four blocks 51 and 52 form universal ball/and socketjoints with the four balls 50. It will be noted that the four arms 106extend obliquely rearwardly from the inner ends of the correspondingtine carrier halves or portions 34 and 38 with respect to the intendeddirection of operative rotation C of the rake member 2 and similarly, inthe case of the rake member 1, rearwardly with respect to the intendeddirection of operative rotation B of that rake member so that, in fact,each tine carrier half or portion 34 or 38 is coupled to the ring 47 ofthe swash plate 42 at a location which is angularly spaced rearwardly by90° (with respect to the direction B or C) from a location at which thelongitudinal axis of the half or portion under consideration intersects(as seen in the plan view of FIG. 12) the swash plate 42.

In the use of the haymaking machine which has been described withreference to FIGS. 1 to 8 of the accompanying drawings, the rotary inputshaft 17 of the gear box 16 is placed in driven connection with thepower/take-off shaft of the tractor 4 or other operating vehicle by wayof the illustrated telescopic transmission shaft that is of aconstruction which is known per se having universal joints at itsopposite ends. The coupling pins 8 and coupling shaft 10 are employed toconnect the coupling member or trestle 3 of the machine to thethree-point lifting device or hitch at the rear of the same tractor 4 orother operating vehicle. As the machine moves forwardly in the directionA over a field of hay or other crop that is lying upon the ground in theworking position that is illustrated in which the fork at the rear endof the rod 90 is coupled to the lug 91, the two rake members 1 and 2 arecaused by the respective driving shafts 18 and 19 to rotate in theopposite directions B and C which directions are such that, in a regionof overlap between the two rake members that is midway between the twoshafts 20 and 21, successive tine groups 82 of the two rake members moverearwardly with respect to the direction A towards the gently rearwardlyconvergent swath boards 80 (see FIG. 1). Hay or other crop displaced bythe tine groups 82 towards the swath boards 80 is formed by those swathboards into a swath or windrow which has a width and height that can beadjusted by changing the angularity of either one, or both, of the twoparallelogram linkages which comprise the respective pairs of rods 74,75and the coupling brackets 76. It will be apparent that the position ofeither swath board 80 can be adjusted relative to the remainder of themachine independently of the other swath board 80 and that the width ofthe passage between the two swath boards can be increased, or decreased,as may be required to vary the cross-sectional shape of the swath orwindrow of hay or other crop that the machine is to form. Thus, saidpassage can be symmetrical or offset to either the right or the leftwith respect to an imaginary vertical plane that extends parallel to thedirection A midway between the shafts 20 and 21 and, since the two swathboards 80 are both connected to the corresponding plates 68 and 69 byparallelogram linkages, the attitudes thereof relative to the imaginaryplane that has just been mentioned will remain the same no matter whatthe width of the passage that they define or their positions ofsymmetry, or asymmetry, relative to said plane. As previously mentioned,it is possible to use quadrilateral linkages that are not parallelogramlinkages and, in such cases, the attitudes of the swath boards 80 to thedirection A can be varied in a predetermined manner. For example, thepivotable quadrilateral linkages could be so arranged that the two swathboards 80 could be rendered more or less convergent, consideredrearwardly of the direction A, by changing their angularities.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings, the angular positionof each of the two tine carriers 34 and 38 of each rake member about thelongitudinal axis of its own central portion is determined by thehorizontal level of the corresponding block 51 or 52 and that level isdetermined by the angular position, at any given time, of each blockaround the corresponding swash plate 42. FIG. 6 illustrates a position,which may be considered for the sake of discussion as being a startingposition, in which the tine group 82 that corresponds to the second tinecarrier 38 and that is located rearmost (at that time) with respect tothe direction A (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is so disposed that the end portions85 of its two tines 83 and 84 are horizontally or substantiallyhorizontally orientated. The corresponding block 51 is, at this instant,at its lowermost level around the respective swash plate 42 (see FIGS.4, 5 and 6) and, upon continued rotation of the rake member 2 in thedirection C. The ring 47 of said swash plate will be moved in the samedirection around the remainder of that swash plate, by the block 51,towards a position in which said block and the portion of the ring 47 towhich it is connected are at their foremost possible locations withrespect to the direction A. When this latter position is reached, theblock 51 will be midway between the lowermost and uppermost levels whichit can attain relative to the remainder of the machine. The upwardmovement of the block 51 from its lowermost position to its intermediateposition causes the end portions 85 of the tines of the tine group 82under discussion to move from their substantially horizontaldispositions generally downwardly until their longitudinal axes areinclined at an angle of substantially 70° to the horizontal groundsurface. If the central shaft 21 of the rake member 2 were to bestrictly vertically disposed, the extremities of the tine end portions85 under discussion would not yet have come into contact with the groundsurface assuming that, with such an arrangement, they would make contactwith the ground surface when the tine group 82 was in substantially itsforemost possible position with respect to the direction A.

As the rake member 2 turns further in the direction C, the block 51 thatcorresponds to the second tine carrier 38 also moves forwardly in saiddirection and upwardly around the swash plate 42 because of itsconnection to the rotating ring 47 of that swash plate. It thus reachesa position in which it is at its highest possible level with respect tothe remainder of the machine and the dimensions of the various parts aresuch that, when this position is reached, the end portions 85 of saidtwo tines 83 and 84 will be in perpendicular or substantiallyperpendicular relationship with the ground surface, the tine group 82then being at its foremost possible position with respect to thedirection A. The dimensions of the various parts will usually be chosenso that the extremities of the end portions 85 of the tines of the group82 under discussion will be in contact with the ground in the foremostposition of the tine group 82, relative to the direction A, around theshaft 21 that has just been discussed and, with this arrangement, whenthe tine carrier 38 extends substantially perpendicular to the directionA, the end portions 85 of said tines 83 and 84 will be just clear ofcontact with the ground. It is desirable that said end portions 85should remain in contact with the ground over a portion of the circularpath of the tine group 82 around the shaft 21 which is of as large amagnitude as possible (preferably substantially 180°) and, to this end,the shaft 21 is so disposed that its longitudinal axis (the axis ofrotation of the rake member 2) is inclined upwardly and rearwardly withrespect to the direction A. The extent of the deviation from the truevertical should therefore be such that, when the block 51 correspondingto the tine group 82 under discussion is in either of its twointermediate positions between the lowermost and uppermost horizontallevels which it can attain, the extremities of the end portions 85 ofthe two tines 83 and 84 are just coming into contact with, and are justlosing contact with, respectively, the ground surface, said extremitiesremaining in contact with that surface throughout the substantially 180°arc of their movement around the shaft 21 which is in advance of thatshaft with respect to the direction A. Generally speaking, the rearwardinclination of the longitudinal axes of the shafts 20 and 21 to the truevertical should not be more than substantially 20°. The actual magnitudeof this inclination in any particular case is deteremined by theinclination of the plane of rotation of the ring 47 of the correspondingswash plate 42 to the axis of the shaft 20 or 21 concerned, to the sizeof the swash plate 42, to the dimensions of the tines 83 and 84 and tothe dimensions of the part which interconnect the rings 47 and therespective tine carriers 34 and 38.

As the tine carrier 38 turns further in the direction C away from theposition in which the tine group 82 under discussion is at the front ofthe rake member 2 with respect to the direction A and the correspondingblock 51 is at its highest possible horizontal level with respect to theremainder of the machine, said tine carrier reaches a position in whichit is substantially perpendicular to the direction A and the block 51 isin the intermediate position around the swash plate 42 in which it isstill descending but is at the rear of said swash plate with respect tothe direction A. The tine group 82 is turned back upwardly during itsmovement between these two positions and, when the latter position isattained, it is again disposed with the end portions 85 of its tinesobliquely inclined to the horizontal at an angle of substantially 70°,the extremities of said tines still being in contact with the groundsurface but, ideally, just on the point of losing contact therewith. Theend portions 85 of the tines are able to maintain contact with theground surface, at a light pressure, during their passage through aleading, with respect to the direction A, arc of their movement aroundthe axes of the respective shaft 20 and 21 because they are connected tothe respective carriers 34 and 38 in a very resilient manner by thespring steel or other resilient support portions 86, the resilient coils87 and the tine holders 81 which, as discussed above, are advantageouslyof a torsionally deformable construction. FIGS. 6 and 8 of the drawingsshow that the lengths of the end portions 85 and support portions 86 aresuch that the former portions are able to exert a significant turningmoment upon the coils 87 and tine holders 81 when said end portions areurged upwardly by their contact with the ground surface or with anyobstacles that may be lying there on or protruding therefrom.

During the last 90° of angular displacement of the tine group 82 underdiscussion around the axis of the shaft 21 towards the starting positiondiscussed above, the block 51 moves from the intermediate position inwhich it is at the rear of the swash plate 42 with respect to thedirection A downwardly towardly the lowermost horizontal level which itcan attain. Thus, the tine group 82 is turned farther upwardly about theaxis of the central portion of its carrier 38 until the startingposition is again reached in which starting position the end portions 85of the two tines of said group are horizontally or substantiallyhorizontally disposed. The positions which the tine group 82 occupy atvarious angles around the axis of rotation of the rake member 2 aresubstantially symmetrical with respect to an imaginary vertical planethat extends parallel to the direction A and that contains said axis ofrotation (i.e. the longitudinal axis of the shaft 21). A machine inaccordance with the invention may be constructed in the manner that isillustrated in FIG. 1 through which is such that, as seen in plan view,the circles that are traced by the tips of the outermost tines of thetwo rake members 1 and 2 overlap one another midway between the shaft 20and 21. Such overlap is often desirable but it is emphasized that it isby no means essential and that the two rake members 1 and 2 couldequally well be spaced apart by a greater distance so that said circularpaths would not overlap one another as seen in plan view.

The haymaking machine that has been described with reference to FIGS. 1to 8 of the drawings, with or without the modification of FIG. 9,provides a particularly simple way of controlling the attitude of thetines to the ground surface during movements of those tines throughcircular paths. Each steering or control mechanism is affordedprincipally by a basically planar swash plate and it has been found thatthe use of such swash plates is superior to the employment of knownrollers and roller tracks for the same purpose since the swash plates 42are less expensive, longer lasting and considerably quieter inoperation. The tine carriers 34 and 38 can have the simple constructionthat has been described and that is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, said carriers being mounted so as to be turnable about thelongitudinal axes of their central portions merely by way of the lightweight sleeves 32A and 33 and the aligned bearings which form parts ofthose sleeves or which the sleeves carry. The upward and rearward, withrespect to the direction A, oblique disposition of the axis of rotationof each of the two rake members 1 and 2 enables the tines of both rakemembers to maintain operative contact with the ground surface throughouta leading substantially 180° arc of movement of each tine group aroundthe corresponding axis of rotation and this is a most desirableattribute having regard to an effective raking action of the machinethroughout a broad working width.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawings, each of the twotine carriers 34 and 38 is divided into two halves or portions, thecorresponding shaft 20 or 21 intervening between the two halves orportions of each tine carrier at the center of the rake memberconcerned. Due to the divided construction of each tine carrier, thisembodiment has the advantage that all four of the tine carrier halves orportions of each of the two rake members 1 and 2 act successively in thesame way during rotation of the corresponding rake member in thedirection B or C. As in the first embodiment, the end portions 85 of thetines 83 and 84 of each group 82 are maintained substantiallycontinuously in contact with the ground surface throughout a leading,with respect to the direction A, arc of their rotation in the directionB or C, said arc advantageously having an angular magnitude ofsubstantially 180°. Thus, once again, the machine is able to perform aneffective raking action throughout a working width that is substantiallyequal to the combined width of the two rake members 1 and 2 in ahorizontal direction that is perpendicular to the direction A. The tinegroups 82 are controlled from the swash plates 42 via the blocks 51 and52 in a manner that is substantially identical to that which has alreadybeen described with reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8 of thedrawings, only the parts which couple said blocks 51 and 52 to thedivided tine carriers 34 and 38 being of a different construction andarrangement to those of the first embodiment.

The resilient construction of the tine groups 82 and their resilientconnection to the carriers 34 and 38 is again effective in ensuring thatthe end portions 85 of the tines will remain in contact with the groundsurface at a light pressure during the movement of the tines throughtheir leading, with respect to the direction A, arcs of travel aroundthe axes of the corresponding shafts 20 and 21. However, in theembodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawings, this resilient contact ofthe tine end portions 85 with the ground surface is augmented by thefact that the tine carriers 81 are resiliently coupled to the extensionarms 93, 94, 98 and 99 by the torsionally deformable rods 102. Theblocks 51 and 52 turn the four extension arms that have just beenmentioned upwardly and downwardly about the axes of the respective tinecarriers 34 and 38 but such turning movements are transmitted to thetine carriers themselves, and thus to the tine groups 82, through theintermediary of the torsionally deformable rods 102 so that anadditional resilient element is interposed between each tine group 82and the corresponding swash plate 32. Both vertically and horizontallyextending forces that may be exerted upon the tine groups 82 areresisted by the effectively resilient tine carrier halves or portions 34and 38 and are transferred by the sleeves 32, 33, 36 and 37 to thecentral hub of the rake member 1 or 2 concerned.

In the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings, the two tinegroups 82 that correspond to each carrier 34 and 38 are angularly offsetrelative to one another, about the axes of the corresponding outerportions of the carrier concerned, by an angle of substantially 90°. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 12 of the drawings, the end portions 85 of thetines 83 and 84 follow substantially the same paths as are shown byirregularly broken lines in FIG. 2 of the drawings by the use of tinecarriers 34 and 38 that are in divided form, each half or portion ofeach carrier 34 and 38 being individually controlled. As describedabove, the four blocks that control the four tine carrier halves orportions in each of the two rake members 1 and 2 are angularly spacedapart from one another at regular 90° intervals around the axis of freerotatability of the corresponding swash plate ring 47, each block being90° behind (as seen in FIG. 12) the tine carrier half or portion whichit controls with respect to the direction of rotation B or C.

In the cases of the two embodiments of FIGS. 10 to 12 of the drawings,it is possible to ensure that the end portions 85 of the tines 83 and 84of each group 82 will remain reliably in contact with the ground surfaceduring their movement through a leading, with respect to the directionA, substantially 180° arc of angular displacement about thecorresponding shaft 20 or 21 by bending outer portions of the dividedtine carriers 34 and 38 downwardly with respect to the axes that aredefined by the corresponding pairs of bearing sleeves 32A, 33 and 36,37, as compared with positions in which, as seen in plan view, thesuccessive tine carrier portions or halves extend substantiallyrectilinearly rearwards with respect to the direction A from locationsadjacent the corresponding shafts 20 and 21. With this bent type ofconstruction, the longitudinal axis of each successive tine carrier halfor portion, when in the position that has just been described, iscontained in a plane which also contains the longitudinal axis of thecorresponding shaft 20 or 21 and the axis defined by the respectivesleeve bearings 32A, 33 or 36, 37. As each such tine carrier half orportion moves forwardly from this rearmost position in either thedirection B or the direction C, its connection to the ring 47 of therespective swash plate 42 causes it to be angularly displaced about theaxis defined by the corresponding pair of bearing sleeves 32A, 33 or 36,37 and, due to the downward bending of the outer portion thereof, theend portions 85 of the corresponding tines 83 and 84 are displaced to anextent which is greater than would occur with a strictly rectilinearconfiguration of the tine carrier half or portion under discussion. Theresult it to produce an additional upward movement of the tine endportions 85 as they first move into the intermediate position thatcorresponds to the respective block 51 or 52 being midway between theuppermost and lowermost levels which it can attain and, secondly, as thetines move forwardly to their positions of maximum advance with respectto the direction A. Thus, when the outer portions of the divided tinecarriers are bent downwardly to an appropriate extent, the extremitiesof the tines 83 and 84 of each group 82 will move through a plane thatcoincides with, or in very close to, the ground surface during angulardisplacement through the leading substantially 180° arc of the circularpath of each group around the corresponding shaft 20 or 21. In any ofthe embodiments that have been described, the position of said arcsubstantially 180° through which the tine end portions 85 aresubstantially continuously in operative contact with the ground surfacecan be displaced around the axis of the corresponding shaft 20 or 21 byreleasing the respective locking pin and turning the mounting 41 of thecorresponding swash plate 42 angularly about the associated shaft 20 or21, subsequently engaging the locking pin 45 in an alternative one ofthe co-operating holes in the upper plate 59 of the underlying support43.

The described and illustrated angular shape (as seen in plan view -FIG. 1) of the frame of the machine is such that the rigid junctionbetween its two main frame beams 14 and 15 is substantially at the frontof the machine with respect to th direction A, there thus being no frameparts whatsoever above the region of overlap, or close approach, betweenthe paths traced by the tine groups 82 of the respective rake members 1and 2. This has the considerable advantage that large volumes of hay orother crop can be displaced per unit time by the two rake member 1 and 2in a generally rearward direction with respect to the direction Awithout any restriction by the frame, it nevertheless being possible forthe machine to be of a restricted height which consequently gives it acenter of gravity that is located only a short distance above the groundsurface. As each tine group 82 moves rearwardly with respect to thedirection A from the region of overlap or closest approach between thetwo rake members 1 and 2, the tines 83 and 84 thereof are automaticallyturned upwardly from positions in which their end portions are inclineddownwardly and rearwardly from top to bottom with respect to thecorresponding direction B and C into positions in which they are spacedupwardly away from the ground surface and are horizontally orsubstantially horizontally disposed. Under these conditions, any hay orother crop that may remain adhering to the tines can readily sliderearwardly off those tines to fall downwardly to a locationapproximately between the leading ends of the two swath boards 80. Theguiding swath boards 80 subsequently engage the displaced hay or othercrop and form it into a sharply defined swath or windrow of cleancross-section having a height, width and lateral position with respectto the path of travel of the machine which is dictated by the chosendispositions of the parallelogram or other quadrilateral linkages whichinclude the respective rods 74 and 75. Although it is preferred toprovide the machine with at least one, and advantageously two, of theswath boards 80, it is emphasized that this is not absolutely essentialsince the efficiency of the tine control or "steering" that is providedis such as to enable hay or other crop to be formed into a swath orwindrow that will be adequate for most purposes under the majorty ofworking conditions without the provision of any swath boards or otherguides whatsoever. Moreover, although various haymaking machineembodiments that all comprise a pair of contra-rotating rake membershave been described, it is emphasised that many of the features of theinvention are equally applicable to haymaking machines of the kind whichcomprise only a single rotary rake member, such single rotary rakemember being used with or without a lateral swath board or other cropguide that, when provided, may advantageously be disposed wholly orprincipally to the rear of the axis of rotation of the single rakemember with respect to the direction A and at one lateral side of thataxis when the machine is viewed from the rear in the direction A. It isagain noted that, when two contra-rotating rake members are provided asin the embodiments which have been described and that are illustrated onthe accompanying drawings, it is by no means essential that the circularpaths which are traced by the outermost tines of those rake membersduring operation of the machine should overlap one another. When, asillustrated in FIG. 1, there is overlap between said paths, the drivetransmission to the two rake members is arranged so that the tine groups82 of one rake member intermesh between the tine groups 82 of the otherrake member to avoid collision fouling therebetween.

Although certain features of the haymaking machines described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings may be set forth in thefollowing claims as inventive features, it is to be emphasized that theinvention is not necessarily limited to those features and may includeswithin its scope each of the parts of each haymaking machine embodimentwhich has been described, or illustrated in the accompanying drawingsor, both individually and in various combinations.

Having described my invention, which I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States:
 1. A haymaking machinecomprising a frame and at least one rake member that is rotatable abouta substantially upwardly extending axis, driving means connected torotate said rake member about said upwardly extending axis, said rakemember having turnable tines that define an outer working circumferenceand a steering mechanism associated with said tines, said steeringmechanism being structured to turn said tines during about one-half of acomplete rotation of said rake member to crop depositing positions andduring the remaining about one-half of said rotation from crop gatheringpositions, said steering mechanism including a circular swash plate ringmeans and at least two elongated tine carriers that are universallypivoted to said swash plate ring means, said tine carriers eachcomprising an uninterrupted beam continuously extending across thediameter of said rake member and being oppositely positioned to crossone another.
 2. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidmechanism is resiliently interconnected to said carriers.
 3. A haymakingmachine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said tine carrier is ahollow beam the longitudinal center line of which is inclined innon-intersecting relationship with the axis of rotation of said rakemember.
 4. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein thelongitudinal center lines of the two said beams are inclined to oneanother in a non-intersecting relationship.
 5. A haymaking machine asclaimed in claim 4, wherein a first said tine carrier is located above asecond said tine carrier adjacent the axis of rotation of said rakemember.
 6. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein each saidtine carrier is operatively connected to a different segment of saidmechanism.
 7. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein saidtines are mounted at opposite ends of each of said carriers and areinclined to one another at a substantially fixed angle.
 8. A haymakingmachine as claimed in claim 7, wherein said fixed angle is about 90°. 9.A haymaking machine comprising a frame and at least one rake member thatis rotatable about a substantially upwardly extending axis, drivingmeans connected to rotate said rake member about said upwardly extendingaxis, said rake member having turnable tines that define an outerworking circumference and a steering mechanism associated with saidtines, said steering mechanism being structured to turn said tines tocrop depositing positions from crop gathering positions, said mechanismcomprising a swash plate ring mounting connected to a shaft that definessaid axis of rotation of the rake member and an outer ring rotatablyreceived by said mounting that is pivoted to two spaced apart leversaround the circumference of said ring, each of said levers beinginterconnected to said tines located at opposite ends of carriers ofsaid rake member and said tines being turned by said levers during therotation of the rake member.
 10. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim8, wherein said tines are connected to said mechanism by at least onetorsionally deformable rod.
 11. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim10, wherein each said carrier is hollow and said torsional rod is housedwithin that carrier.
 12. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 11,wherein one end of each said torsional rod is ridgidly connected to atleast one corresponding said tine and the opposite end is secured to afastening member that is pivotable relative to said carrier.
 13. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said fasteningmember is pivotally connected to said steering mechanism.
 14. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 13, wherein each fastening membercomprises a sleeve that surrounds one end of said tine carrier.
 15. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein each said tine carrieris non-rectilinear in configuration, each said tine carrier beinguninterrupted and extending substantially cross the entire diameter ofthe rake member, said tine carriers crossing near said axis of rotationof said rake member.
 16. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 15,wherein, in at least one position of a said tine carrier around the axisof rotation of the rake member, end portions of said carrier areinclined downwardly from a central portion thereof.
 17. A haymakingmachine as claimed in claim 16, wherein end portions of a second saidtine carrier are bent over upwardly relative to a central portionthereof in at least one angular position of said second carrier aroundthe axis of rotation of said rake member.
 18. A haymaking machine asclaimed in claim 17, wherein, in at least one position during therevolution of said rake member, the outer extremities of the first andsecond said tine carriers are at the same level, measured lengthwisealong the axis of rotation of said rake member.
 19. A haymaking machineas claimed in claim 9, comprising a further rake member, swash platering mounting, and outer ring received thereon, wherein there are tworake members and each said rake member comprises at least two tinecarriers, each carrier having two interconnected portions that arecontrollable from a single part of a corresponding said ring of acorresponding said swash plate ring mounting.
 20. A haymaking machine asclaimed in claim 9, wherein said rake member comprises two tine carriersthat are controlled from separate parts of said ring of said swash platering mounting.
 21. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 9, whereinthe outer ends of at least one said tine carrier have tine groupsconnected thereto by respective outwardly extending holders.
 22. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 21, wherein each said tine holdercomprises a strip of sheet material that extends in a plane extendingradially from the axis of rotation of said rake member, in at least oneangular position of said holder around that axis of rotation.
 23. Ahaymaking machine comprising a frame and two rake members supported onsaid frame, each rake member being rotatable about an upwardly extendingaxis defined by a corresponding shaft and driving means engaging eachshaft, said rake member having elongated, substantially horizontalcarriers and tines mounted on the outer ends of each carrier, a steeringmechanism being connected to turn said tines from crop engaging to cropdepositing positions during the revolutions of the rake member, saidmechanism including a swash plate ring mounting attached to said shaftand a ring rotatably mounted on said mounting, said carriers each beingconnected to said ring by a respective universal pivot lever connection.24. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 23, wherein said tines areconnected to their corresponding steering mechanisms and extenddownwardly, substantially perpendicular to the ground only when saidtines are in their foremost positions with respect to the direction ofmachine travel.
 25. A haymaking machine comprising a frame and at leastone rake member that is rotatable about an axis which is upwardlyextending and inclined to the rear, driving means connected to rotatesaid rake member about said axis, said rake member having turnableresilient tines that define an outer working circumference and asteering mechanism associated with said resilient tines, said steeringmechanism being structured to turn said resilient tines to crop engagingpositions when said resilient tines are in the forward regions of theirrespective paths and at both sides of a vertical plane of symmetry ofsaid rake member which is directed in the normal direction of operativetravel of the machine whereby said resilient tines are continuallyturned to maintain their tips in said crop engaging positions while insaid regions.
 26. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 25, whereinthe paths described by outer tips of said tines are substantiallysymmetrical with respect to a plane which contains the axis of rotationof said rake member and substantially parallel to said direction oftravel.
 27. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 26, wherein saidsteering mechanism comprises a rotatable swash plate ring means and saidtines being mounted on outwardly extending carriers of said rake member,said tines being turned by the revolutions of said ring means.
 28. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 27, wherein said swash plate ringmeans is substantially circular and planar in configuration.
 29. Ahaymaking machine as claimed in claim 28, wherein said swash plate ringmeans includes a co-planar ring that is freely rotatable about a furtheraxis that is substantially perpendicular to the general plane of saidswash plate ring means, said first mentioned axis coinciding with thecenter of said swash plate ring means.
 30. A haymaking machine asclaimed in claim 29, wherein the general plane of said swash plate ringmeans is non-perpendicularly inclined to said first mentioned axis ofrotation of said rake member.
 31. A haymaking machine as claimed inclaim 30, wherein the angle of inclination between said general planeand said first mentioned axis of rotation is about 60°.
 32. A haymakingmachine as claimed in claim 30, wherein a lowermost point on said swashplate ring means, during the rotation of said rake member, is containedin a further plane that also contains said axis of rotation the rakemember, said plane intersecting the ground along a line substantiallyperpendicular to the normal operative direction of travel of themachine.
 33. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 29, wherein thereis a further rake member similar to said first mentioned rake member,said rake members arranged side-by-side and said driving means rotatessaid rake members in relative opposite directions, swash plate ringmeans provided each said rake member, the lowermost points on said twocorresponding swash plate ring means during rotation of said rakemembers being at the sides of the corresponding axes of rotation of therake members which are farthest from each other.
 34. A haymaking machineas claimed in claim 33, wherein a portion of each said swash plate ringmeans steers at least one of said tines of the corresponding said rakemember and is angularly spaced around the axis of rotation of that rakemember from said tine by an angle of about 90°.
 35. A haymaking machineas claimed in claim 34, wherein the tines of each said rake member areinterconnected to the corresponding said swash plate ring means andturned to operative drop gathering positions in advance of said ringmeans with respect to the direction of rotation of the correspondingsaid rake member.
 36. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 29,wherein said swash plate ring means is mounted on a shaft having an axisof rotation which is the same as said axis of rotation of said rakemember, said swash plate ring means being angularly adjustable inposition about said axis of rotation of said rake member and meansretaining said swash plate ring means in a selected angular positionabout that axis of rotation.
 37. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim29, wherein said ring is driven by the rotation of the rake memberduring operation.
 38. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 37,wherein a lever is interconnected to said tines and engaged by saidring, said lever being pivoted by said ring during rotation of saidswash plate ring means.
 39. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 38,wherein said lever interconnects said tines and said ring through auniversal pivot joint.
 40. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 39,wherein said lever is pivotably connected to a tine carrier and thelatter together with said tines are turned about a substantiallyhorizontal axis during operation.
 41. A haymaking machine as claimed inclaim 40, wherein said lever is turnable relative to at least oneextension arm that is secured to said tine carrier about an axis thatextends substantially tangentially with respect to a circle centered onthe axis of rotation of said rake member.
 42. A haymaking machine asclaimed in claim 25, wherein said steering mechanism is connected to twooppositely positioned tine carriers, each of said tine carrierscomprising a beam that extends across substantially the entire diameterof said rate member.
 43. A haymaking machine as claimed in claim 42,where said beams are substantially straight and have center lines whichare crossing.